My daughter was nominated to apply be her high school’s representative for the American Legion Auxiliary Girls State.
The website is pretty vague on what this is. I am interesting in hearing from those whose kids participated.
Does anyone have any experience with this? What is it? How is it looked at by AOs? What is the time commitment?
My daughter is being pulled in about a billion different directions and I am hesitant to see her take on yet another activity.
If you have AppleTV, this might give you some idea . . .
My sister did it over 30 years ago! I don’t think much has changed! She enjoyed it and since she was planning on majoring in political science, it was a perfect fit for her interests. I would guess that AOs would look at it as a sign of leadership since students have to be nominated by their school and there can only be one representative from each school.
It is a week in the summer learning how the government works. Here is an overview from their main website:
High school students who have completed their junior year are competitively selected and sponsored by American Legion Auxiliary units for this program, where they learn about the political process by electing officials for all levels of state government and actively running a mock government. The participants are assigned to mock cities and either the “Federalist Party” or “Nationalist Party.”
Assistance from dedicated ALA volunteers ensures the program’s nonpartisan governmental, patriotic, and civic objectives are carried out through interactive learning. Though the week is filled with many learning opportunities, there is always time for fun and the formation of long-term friendships.
Candidates should be keenly interested in government and current events, and show strong leadership abilities. Because the structure of state and local government varies, ALA Girls State programs may vary in content and method of procedure, but each adheres to the same basic core values.
I attended Girls State 30 years ago and I was delighted that my daughter was selected to attend last year. It was a great and memorable experience for both of us!
At least where we are, other than interviewing, there was not a school year impact. The big thing is your daughter would need to be able to commit to staying for the entirety of Girls State—for us, this was late June last year, so no school was missed. It ran from a Saturday to a Thursday for my daughter.
Aside from the obvious connections to civics/political science, I think it gives kids an opportunity to get a taste of college life and meet people from around the state.
I’m happy to answer any questions you may have, though the experience may vary by state.
Thank you all for your great comments. 
I will have to check in with my daughter to see what she thinks!
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